Post-election, don’t lose sight of ‘who we are’

While it is clear now the result of this election, there are some things that should be more clear to us as collective human beings and as individuals. First, is that we must not point a finger in the wake of what some may call a historic comeback or what others may call a catastrophic resurgence of President Trump. The blame is not what needs to spread. What does need to spread is our ability to not lose faith in the vision, morals and characteristics of what makes our country and this community so special. What needs to be spread is our ability to continue to fight for what we have always believed in and stand true to the values that have always come naturally to this community.

Do not lose hope, do not get discouraged and most importantly do not forget who we are as a town: a diverse, inclusive, progressive, and forward-thinking community.

— Alan Turpin, Santa Cruz

Trump won’t magically bring lower prices

One of the common reasons voters gave for voting for Donald J. Trump was the elevated everyday cost of living (i.e., food, gas, rent), in the post-pandemic world we now live in. They correctly remember that prices for just about everything were lower during Trump’s first term.

I wish the messages from the Democrats would have included the point that simply putting Trump back in office in 2025, will not magically result in the lower prices everyone fondly remembers from 2016-2019; unless Trump has a time machine, and knows how to use it.

Trump’s professed methods of lowering prices are two-fold: (1) he says his policy of “drill baby, drill” will result in lower energy prices that will lower the everyday cost of living, and (2) he claims his imposition of massive tariffs will result in lower prices.

Neither of Trump’s methods are going to lower prices in the near term, or before his term expires. The Trump voters have been bamboozled, and their critical thinking about this matter has been deficient.

So sad.

— William Rupert, Ben Lomond

‘A mad man has been elected’; so fight back

A madman has been elected president. A mad man. He is angry and vindictive. The country now has a leader who will stop at nothing to get his way. He will gather his cronies.

He will push his weight around. I will push back. I will tell the truth. I will protect my children, my grandsons, the Earth and all who I love.

This is a new day on this continent. A brand-new day.

— Jean Mahoney, Santa Cruz

Nothing worked in opponents’ Trump attacks

Deplorables. Fascists. Hitler and not to mention, bullets. Nothing worked. Why?

Maybe, the left’s sick, perverted and generally rage-filled policies finally caught up. Maybe, running on more of the same, huge price increases, no border at all, sick social policies are just not going to work in most states.

All battleground states won. A 5 million edge in popular vote. A gain in the House, and taking back the Senate. Springsteen, two Obamas, Oprah, even Taylor Swift could not buy votes, despite spending $400 million more than Trump.

I’m going to love the next four years.

— Dan Misko, Cherokee County, GA

All votes count: Abandon the Electoral College

“Stop the Steal” MAGAs decried the corruption of our vaunted “one (wo)man, one vote” pillar of democracy. It’s true: an organized conspiracy to subvert our vote has been conducted in the open and without correction. The Electoral College is a vestige of the founders’ compromise with slavery, which ensures unequal voting power for citizens of less-populated states.

Forty-eight states have a “winner takes all” count. This means no less than 40% of American voters votes don’t count. I find a measure of comfort knowing that MAGAs in California are absolutely disenfranchised; but the same is true of all three Democrats in West Virginia.

In 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote. We got W instead and groused. But in 2016 the voters gave Hillary the popular vote by a large margin; the Electoral College gave it to the Donald instead.

It’s time to reform our system by abandoning the Electoral College in favor of following the popular vote. At least the contest will be free and fair, our votes (good and bad) all counted.

— Ralph Boroff, Santa Cruz